Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Community Healthcare - (Page 4)

A Fresh Start More than just weight loss, Healthy 4 Life's multidisciplinary approach targets long-term health and wellness by Mary Fetsch J eannine Wolfe of Michigan City knew she had health issues. Her type 1 diabetes was out of control; she had hypertension, chronic headaches, a high cholesterol level, sleep apnea, a fatty liver, and foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis. And she was only 29 years old. "During this time, I saw more doctors than I can remember," she says, "including three different endocrinologists, four neurologists, three sleep specialists, a gastroenterologist, a podiatrist and numerous other health professionals like dietitians and physical therapists. Each one had a different opinion regarding my health conditions, but most of them just ordered more tests." Wolfe went through a series of MRIs, CT scans and blood work and a multitude of prescriptions assigned to help her health conditions. She had an insulin pump to help control her diabetes. Even at a high rate of 300 units administered Obesity as a Disease "Like heart disease, arthritis or diabetes, obesity is a complex condition that often requires an interdisciplinary approach to treatment," says Omar Shamsi, MD, a medical weight loss specialist who is fellowship-trained in obesity medicine and nutrition support at Healthy 4 Life at Community Hospital in Munster and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. Boardcertified in internal medicine, Shamsi is often the first physician to see patients who enter the program. "When patients come to see me, they've tried everything else under the sun to lose weight," says Shamsi. "My job is to help them understand what their individual health issues are and what we can do together to get them healthy. I'm here to educate and motivate them and make them realize that, with the right treatment plan, their dreams of being healthy and active are truly within reach." CaLL Nearly 100 pounds lighter, Jeannine Wolfe now enjoys working out. through her pump each day, she was still unable to successfully manage her glucose levels and required Symlin injections before meals to control her blood sugar. She was prescribed three pills to control her blood pressure, two pills to lower her cholesterol level, antiseizure medication for her headaches, a pill for rosacea on her skin, a pill for acid reflux, and a variety of vitamins, calcium and folic acid. She wore special orthotic shoes and was prescribed a brace to wear at night for foot pain, and a CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea. Through it all, Wolfe always thought she was doing everything to improve her health. "Instead, I felt my health was spiraling out of control," she says. As with millions of Americans, Wolfe's health issues were tied to her weight. At 240 pounds, she had a body mass index of 43, which placed her in the category of morbidly obese. And while she was seeing a variety of health professionals, none of them could effectively guide her through treating her obesity disease. Put an End to Your Battle with Weight To learn more about the Healthy 4 Life team and how it can help you, call 866-224-2059 or visit www.healthy4lifecenter.org. 4 SPRING 2 014 http://www.healthy4lifecenter.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Community Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Community Healthcare
Contents
Community Message
Community Briefs
A Fresh Start
A Tale of Three Hearts
Occupational Hazards
The New Rules of Play
Shopping for Two
Back to Basics
Burn, Baby, Burn
Angelina Jolie
Rock Your Health
Breaking Up with Salt
Disgusting! (or Not?)
Virtual Health
Let’s Be Social
SPOTLIGHT ON: St. Catherine Hospital
SPOTLIGHT ON: St. Mary Medical
SPOTLIGHT ON: Community Hospital
A New Frontier

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Community Healthcare